The Scam Archive

Real examples, plainly explained. Search by scam, sender, domain, or phone number and learn the red flags before you click.

Plain language
No jargon
Real screenshots
Not mockups
Shareable tips
Family-friendly

Search the Archive

Latest additions

Newest examples in the archive, with the screenshot from each report.

See full archive
UnknownGovernment ImpersonationYouth Empowerment

Fake Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme application form promising 50,000 to 250,000 a month

A page titled "Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme (P-YES)" shows government-style emblems and flags and a form asking for your name, phone number, country and region. Its preview text promises "50,000 upto 250,000 Monthly". The page is hosted on pyesportl[.]empower-youth[.]life, not on the government address it names. It was first observed and last seen on November 13, 2026.

Read more
UnknownYouTubeFacebook

Fake YouTube Watch and Earn page that shows a 249 euro balance and asks for a fee to activate withdrawal

A French-language page titled "Video Rewards - Watch & Earn" uses the YouTube logo and shows a confirmed balance of EUR249 after 3/3 tasks, with activation "En attente" (pending). A blurred video tells you to turn on the sound for withdrawal instructions, and a fake Facebook comment says the writer just withdrew 300 dollars. An automated read of the page found a button reading "Je veux payer les frais" (I want to pay the fees). It was first observed and last seen on November 13, 2026.

Read more
UnknownLidlGift Card

Fake Lidl 500 euro Christmas gift card quiz that asks you to share it on social media

Pages using the Lidl name say "Congratulations!" and offer a chance to get a gift card worth €500 for answering a four-question Christmas quiz. A banner tells you to share the Christmas campaign on your favorite social media and invite your friends to join, and a comment list below shows people saying they already won. The same page was found on four web addresses that are not Lidl's website, all first observed and last seen on November 12, 2026.

Read more
UnknownMexicoGobierno de México

Fake Gobierno de Mexico marriage-certificate portal that asks for spouses' details and a bank transfer

A Spanish-language page at premiosentencias.sinfronteras[.]org[.]mx, on the path /wp-content/apps/web-1.php, titles itself "Acta de Matrimonio · Trámite Oficial" and uses Gobierno de México and Registro Civil branding, including "Portal oficial de trámites gubernamentales" and a "SITIO VERIFICADO" badge. It is not a Mexican government website. A four-step process lists personal data of the spouses, delivery format, payment by bank transfer, and confirmation. When captured, the form body still showed "Cargando formulario...". Analysis of the same page describes a request for both spouses' names, marriage date and state of registration. The payment screen itself was not reached. Completed payment was not established.

Read more
UnknownPakistanPunjab

Fake Punjab DLIMS page promising a driving licence without a test and asking for CNIC uploads and JazzCash payment

A page at dlimspunjab[.]li titles itself "DLIMS PUNJAB GOVT" and "Driving Licence Management System", uses Punjab government branding and a "Powered by Dastak - Punjab" line, and is not run by the Punjab government. It promises online application with doorstep courier delivery and says no driving test is needed. The form asks for name, CNIC number, father's name, phone numbers, address, CNIC front and back uploads, a licence photo and a licence category, then shows a Pay Fee step with JazzCash or Easypaisa QR and TILL ID controls. Fee amounts in the capture were placeholder zeros and are not established.

Read more
UnknownSportsChekFake Shop

Fake SportsChek Canada shop selling unbranded clothes at 74 to 87 percent off

A shop at summer-freturedoffers[.]shop uses Open Graph tags naming SportsChek-CA and a visible header unisexclothes-ca. It is not run by SportsChek. Featured jackets and sweatshirts show advertised discounts of about 74% to 87% off, with sale prices such as CA$26.93 to CA$43.32 next to a crossed-out CA$200.00 comparison price. The shop offers a login, a cart and an email sign-up. Shared shop code links it to a multi-brand lookalike retail storefront network.

Read more
UnknownEpic GamesFortnite

Fake Epic Games login hidden behind a free V-Bucks offer and a "Tap the targets" puzzle

A Fortnite-themed site at epic-treasure[.]info uses the Epic Games name and logo and offers free V-Bucks, Fortnite's in-game currency, with the line "Get 13,500 V-Bucks for your first check." Before the page loads, a "Tap the targets" puzzle asks the visitor to click shapes in a set order, which keeps automated security scanners from seeing what is behind it. Behind the puzzle is a copy of the Epic Games sign-in page. Only the email option goes anywhere: the PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, Google, Steam, Apple and other buttons show "Method Not Eligible" and tell the visitor to sign in with their Epic Games email and password "to claim the reward." Anything typed there is entered on a site that does not belong to Epic Games. The address was registered on November 6, 2026, with the owner's details hidden. The overall record remains Active, because similar pages appear on new addresses. This pattern was first observed on November 7, 2026, and last seen on November 13, 2026.

Read more
UnknownCostcoFake Shop

Fake Costco Canada shop selling appliances and furniture for around CA$50

A shop at tgfullcj[.]shop copies the Costco Wholesale website, with the Costco logo, blue menu bar, a "Member-Only Savings" flyer and "Online Only Finds" banners, and says it delivers across Canada. It is not run by Costco. Large appliances, furniture and tools are mostly priced between about CA$40 and CA$55, next to crossed-out prices up to six times higher. Examples include an LG 27 inch gas dryer for CA$44.95 and a ZLINE professional gas range for CA$48.27. The shop offers an account login, a cart, an email sign-up and a "Trusted Store, Certified Secure" badge.

Read more
UnknownInstagramAccount Suspended

Fake Instagram suspended account recovery page on GitHub Pages that asks for your password and personal details

A page titled "Insta Recovery" at instagram-id-disabled.github[.]io/suspended/paid-recover shows the Instagram logo and the heading "Disable Suspended Recovery". It is aimed at people whose Instagram account has been, or is said to have been, suspended or disabled. The form asks for your full name, your Instagram login ID, your password, your date of birth, your gender and a contact email, then shows a "Proceed" button. It is not run by Instagram or Meta. It is hosted on GitHub Pages, a free website service. Submitting a valid password to an untrusted page could put the account at risk, but the submission destination and any resulting account access were not established.

Read more

Latest WatchOut alerts

Recent warnings. When an alert matches a scam record or a domain already in the archive, a link to that record is included.

All alerts

Browse by category

Categories with examples in the archive, and how many records each one has.

View all
A

Advance Fee Fraud

Scammers promise a large payout, inheritance, contract transfer, or released funds, then demand fees, bank details, or identity documents before the money can be received.

4 scams

C

Charity / Disaster Relief

Fake charities exploiting disasters or tragedies to solicit fraudulent donations.

1 scam

C

Credential Harvesting

Fake websites or forms designed to steal login details, MFA codes, or personal data.

5 scams

C

Crypto Wallet / Exchange Impersonation

Fake crypto wallets, exchanges, or airdrops designed to steal private keys or funds.

3 scams

E

Extortion / Sextortion

Threats to expose sensitive or fake compromising information unless paid.

2 scams

I

Impersonation / Social Media

Accounts or pages impersonating individuals or brands to defraud followers.

6 scams

I

Investment / Crypto

Fraudulent investments or crypto scams promising guaranteed returns or exclusive offers.

4 scams

J

Job / Work-From-Home

Fake job offers requiring upfront fees, equipment purchases, or acting as a money mule.

6 scams

L

Lottery / Prize

Fraudulent prize claims requiring fees or sensitive info to claim winnings.

2 scams

M

Malware / Attachment

Emails or downloads containing malicious attachments or links to malware.

3 scams

M

Marketplace / Classifieds

Fake listings, rental scams, or overpayment schemes on marketplaces and classifieds.

4 scams

P

Phishing

Attempts to trick victims into revealing credentials or sensitive info by impersonating trusted services.

19 scams

R

Refund / Invoice Bait

Fake invoices or 'refund' notices that trick victims into calling scammers or installing remote-access tools.

4 scams

R

Romance / Dating

Emotional manipulation via dating platforms leading to requests for money or gifts.

1 scam

S

Shipping / Delivery

Fake delivery notifications tricking victims into clicking malicious links or paying fees.

3 scams

S

Smishing (SMS Phishing)

Phishing attempts delivered by text message linking to fake sites or requesting responses.

2 scams

T

Tech Support / Remote Access

Scammers claim there is a virus or issue and request remote access or payment for fake fixes.

1 scam

Quick tip: Pause before you pay

Unexpected refunds, gift-card demands, and urgent invoices are classic pressure tactics. Verify using a trusted phone number or website you already know, not the link you were sent.